Fun Indoor Games for Elementary School Kids Without Any Equipment

The more people there are, the harder it gets! Finger Catch

🧡No.29 [Parent-Child Play / Improving Motor Skills] “Finger Catch” — no equipment needed, simple rules, and lots of fun 😄 Boosts reflexes‼️ Great for icebreakers too‼️

The “Finger Catch Game,” which trains your reflexes and lets everyone have fun, is played with everyone standing in a circle.

Put the index finger of your right hand into the open palm of the person to your right, just lightly touching it.

In turn, participants chant, “Ka, ka, ka, catch,” and at the moment someone says “catch,” everyone tries to pull out the finger they had inserted.

At the same time, you must quickly grab the finger that’s been inserted into your own open hand before it escapes.

If you fail to pull your finger out or fail to catch your neighbor’s finger, you’re out.

The last person remaining wins.

The exact timing of saying “catch” is key.

It’s a game that tests concentration, timing, and careful observation of others.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

mayumi

Report a problem

Team Competition! True or False Game

It’s a game where you place your team’s marks on a grid, aiming to be the first to line up three marks before the opposing team.

Since you switch to the next person after placing a mark, it also tests your ability to read your teammates’ intentions.

You can have at most three marks on the grid; after that, you can only move them, which adds room for tactical mind games.

Even if it’s hard to decide where to place a mark, the game can still heat up because a fast relay can create opportunities.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem

It varies by region! Okinawa’s Finger-Number Game

@okinawa_channel

[Yubisuma] Do the calls/chants differ by region?OkinawaTranslationJun playerNostalgic

♪ Original Song – Okinawa Channel – Okinawa Channel

It seems that Yubi-suma is a game whose name changes depending on the region in Japan.

There are versions called “Yubi-suma,” “Issē no se,” and “Ichi nī no,” among others.

Incidentally, in Okinawa some places call it “Chībaru.” Of course, even within Okinawa there are areas that say “Issē no se.” How about trying Yubi-suma using a chant from a region other than your own? It might be fun to decide which chant to use by drawing lots.

By the way, it’s said that the reason it’s called Yubi-suma is that it spread nationwide after being featured on a SMAP TV program.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Nakajima Junko

Report a problem

Nostalgic finger guessing game!

@riana_mine

Did you all do this a lot?Elementary school students in 20072007#ElementarySchoolerProblemsHeisei#Heisei Retro#Yubi-SumanumbersReady, set, go!Hand games

♬ Original Song – Riana Mine 👼🏻⛅️ – Riana Mine 👼🏻⛅️

A game whose name changes depending on the region: Yubi-suma (Thumbs Up).

It’s said that there are many region-specific calls besides Yubi-suma, too.

The rules are: make fists with both hands and hold them out in front.

Decide the order, and when it’s your turn, say a call like “Yubi-suma, one!” or “Issē no, two!” All players then raise the thumb(s) from one or both fists.

If the number of thumbs raised matches the number you called, you can pull back one of your hands.

The first person to pull back both hands wins.

In some regions, there’s even a rule that allows choosing not to raise any thumbs.

It might only be a brief moment, but waiting to see how many thumbs go up is a real nail-biter.

It’s a simple game, but kids really get into it.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Nakajima Junko

Report a problem

6 Easy Indoor Activities You Can Enjoy

[Make the Most of Spare Moments] 6 Easy Indoor Games Kids Can Enjoy [For Elementary Schoolers]

When rainy weather continues or the heat keeps you indoors, kids can’t move their bodies as much and may start to feel stressed.

Here are some recommended indoor activities that get them moving.

Try simple seated games like “Tonton Surisuri” or finger-play exercises to combine light gymnastics with brain training.

For example, with Tonton Surisuri, sit down and lightly pat one thigh with one hand while you make a fist with the other hand and rub the other thigh.

Doing two different actions at the same time is said to help build attention and provide brain-training benefits.

Give these easy exercises a try and have fun staying active indoors.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Nakajima Junko

Report a problem

Mr. Wolf, what time is it now?

[Outdoor Play / Childcare] A Big Hit in Mixed-Age Group Care! [Mr. Wolf, What Time Is It?]

Let’s play tag while enjoying a call-and-response using the phrase, “Mr.

Wolf, what time is it?” First, choose one player to be “It” (the wolf).

The children face the wolf and ask, “Mr.

Wolf, what time is it?” The wolf answers with various times, and if it’s anything other than “3 o’clock,” the children respond, “Phew, thank goodness!” If the wolf says “3 o’clock,” that’s the signal to start chasing.

Run away so you don’t get caught! Whoever gets caught becomes the next wolf.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

Adults going all out at the park!

[Full Power] Adults Playing Outside at the Park with Everything They've Got!? [Kotorokotoro] [Hyotan-Oni]

Games we used to play as kids can be surprisingly fun even after we grow up.

So why not enjoy some outdoor games for the first time in a while? Here we introduce two types of tag games: “Kotorokotoro” and “Hyotan Oni.” In Kotorokotoro, players are divided into one chaser (oni) and the children.

The children line up, placing their hands on the shoulders of the person in front.

The oni faces the line, and wins if they can tag the child at the very end.

In Hyotan Oni, you draw a gourd-shaped safe zone on the ground, and the children run around inside it.

The oni reaches in from outside the gourd, and if they manage to tag someone, they swap roles with that person.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem